Irrational fear
by GlimerOfhope
Summary: What if his fears were irrational? SetoxSerenity.Oneshot.
1. Chapter 1

**Irrational fear**

Disclaimer : I don't own yugioh

Had she actually laughed at him? If he had realized that from the very beginning then none of this would have happened and he wouldn't be sitting here, dumbly flipping through a scarp book full of pictures of her. It all started as a little game, innocent and harmless; just to give him the feeling that someone does care. A quick smile flashed now and then, a discreet wave or even a gentle yet respectful greeting. He never questioned her motives; she was just too innocent for her own sake. But little did she know that those little, insignificant gestures grew in his heart as he became gradually fond of them. Not that he would really admit that to her for fear of being taken for a fool.

Whatever awkwardness that had transpired during the first year of their marriage was gone. Over. At the beginning he made sure to disguise his official proposal into a business deal at loss of better alternatives. He could decipher her uncertainties and doubts but brushed them off as temporarily. But her long thoughtful moments and deafening silence left his head spiralling with suspicious. And the situation felt somehow wrong. It was then when he had given her a choice; her friends foolishly cried **ultimatum**. The proposition simply offered her the opportunity to reassess what she valued the most. But even this one was wrapped up in a business deal package.

One night, he was greeted by a lengthy silence. It was then when he understood that silence does speak louder than words.

At the time, storming Joey's apartment had seemed like the only way, and he had found her there. Instead of relief, he felt angrier. Time. That's all what she had asked for, but he felt empty at the mere thought of losing her. Since her bother was there, watching, he couldn't stoop to the level of openly asking her to come back. It was just too much!

Sometimes when she playfully compared him to the Beast in that European fairly tale, he would scoff and argue. Deep down, he knew she was right. She longed for more and deserved better. But he had clung fervently to the idea that eventually she will get used to him, and accept him willingly the way he was. Now, wasn't that what the Beast had always requested from Beauty?

A particular picture has suddenly stolen his gaze. He was indeed stiff, not moving a muscle, his mouth in a tight, thin line. Her, she was smiling broadly, pinching his forearm in a futile attempt to stir any reaction out of him. He just wouldn't budge. How could he deny her such little things?

He didn't want to look weak. Had happiness become a form of weakness? He questioned himself restlessly.

All his life he had worked hard to bring joy to his little brother's heart. Why people kept denying him this primary right? He was after all a human being; he swatted the little voice away impatiently.

He blinked, taking in her appearance as she stepped into the room. He couldn't even bring himself to believe that she was standing there, breath-taking, as always. If his mind wasn't clouded by all those irrational thoughts, he would have gathered her in his arms, choking the air out of her. He got up and felt like a zombie as he numbly took steps toward her; all the way trying to figure out if she was a hallucination or not.

**A/N: ****The second part of this short one-shot will be posted hopefully soon.**

**Please, review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Irrational fear**

Disclaimer: I don't yugioh. If I did, the characters would have learned to live more than duel.

_Things aren't__ always as planned. You may desire many things, but in the end, only God's will prevails and you're given what you truly need. And it always turns out that it was, and is for the best._

What she didn't understand, however, was that sometimes, it was exceedingly annoying, frustrating and frightening, the word _my _and some other derivates like _mine_ that he kept using with no restrain. Maybe, some part of him saw it as a way to alleviate some of the obvious, not-founded suspicions that constantly flashed in his eyes.

She came to the conclusion that for some odd reason, he indeed got extreme satisfaction out of the fact that she was inarguably, undeniably his, reminding her and the _others_ of that point on each appropriate and inappropriate occasion. He was also good for evoking a sense of detachment that made her often seriously question her real status in his life, and made his so-called obsession with her pale in comparison to his possessive instinct over whatever he laid hands on.

But what really bothered her were the self imposed walls around him. They were so impenetrable that she constantly wondered if they they'd ever been _really _close; always distant, barely touchable.

It could be that line that he found so excruciating or constraining to cross. But she understood, or pretended to, at the _worst_ of times.

Then, she found herself wondering if he was able to hear her thrashing against the stony, glassy door of silence or if the transparent barrier has become thicker by the passing time. Her mind, unwilling to deliberate any longer that fateful question, postponed it endlessly for fear of what might be the answers. For her it causes many uncertainties, revives _old_ anguishes that were carefully tugged in a dark corner of the heart.

Many times, she considered, in vain, if she should tell him of her fright, but her irrational fears got the best of her, sealing her mouth shut. But then again, if she had been rational, she would have never found love in the _cold_.

At some point, she _broke_. Because this was not what she wanted for herself, this was not the future she envisioned, she feared _loneliness_ with him. But every memory she had with him won't leave her when she had finally left.

And the days went by, and slowly his smile began to fade away in her mind nearly driving her insane.

There _is_ his smile; a tiniest shimmer of light in the middle of a dark sky, clouded by doubts and uncertainties.

Not wide, nor pretentious, far from conceited. Calm, incomparably, truly content meant for her eyes only, like only few people have ever seen before.

So, she kept track of them. Sort of a hobby she developed a liking to. It could be that those smiles always seemed so genuine, so real, that it could be that…

Could it be? She asked herself again and again, the question twirling in her head like some bad song that just doesn't want to end.

Now, looking at him with the moon's beams slanting across his features, guilt put shame to fright. She knew how she felt, and she had cowardly hidden behind fearful denials because, just because it might get awkward for the others, what she felt for him. _Stupid_, she chastised herself.

She didn't hear him coming, and neither acknowledged his growing proximity. For too long she sat in the shadows for the last weeks. And now finally, she was glad to contemplate the blinding light again to the point of barely realizing his actual presence.

He smiled, and she felt her chest instantly fill with joy as she returned the smile heartedly.

Thank God for second chances.

His fingers traced delicately the side of her face, bringing them along her jaw until they finally rested at the edge of her lips. She felt her pulse quicken madly, and glanced down shyly before bringing her eyes up to meet his oceanic blue gaze again. His eyes were all seriousness. "Have I told you that I love you?"

"More than you know." She told him; fully aware of the blush that now tinted her cheeks.

He looked at her, incredulous, eyes wide with _concern_: "When?"

She stifled a giggle, even now he still feared for his _walls_. But she could live within them, couldn't she?

"When you smile." She offered smartly.

All what she got was another, tiny smile, but it did make her happy, happy enough to knock at the door one more time, all because of his smiles.

**A/N**: Sue me, but I always thought that the fairly tale 'Beauty and the Beast' suits them the best, with Kaiba as the Beast and Serenity as Beauty. This fic needs your attention when reading it; every word has its weigh and implications.

Hmm, did I forget to say something? Yes, the broken record! Review please, Kaiba doll on top. Thanks for reading and mostly for expressing your thoughts and advice, they feed my fic-writing spirit in this fandom.

**About 'Illusions'****, I got contrastive feedback regarding the fourth chapter, I'm glad you openly expressed your impressions –give plenty of candy to the people who did - so, for those who felt the need for some sort of explicit wording, I will make everyone happy in the next chapter. When? Only God knows** :)


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